Strictly Come Dancing’s Tess Daly got candid about her family life with Vernon Kay, just weeks before announcing she and Claudia Winkleman had decided to quit the BBC show
Samantha Masters Content Editor
10:16, 23 Oct 2025
Tess Daly presented Strictly Come Dancing for 21 years (Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing presenter Tess Daly, who today has announced she has quit the BBC show, recently opened up about a relatable family issue. Reflecting on becoming a mother for the first time, the 51-year-old discussed how sleep deprivation took its toll on her and her husband Vernon Kay.
The presenters shares two daughters, Phoebe, 21, who is often pictured with the pair, and Amber, 15, who is more kept out of the public eye.
Opening up about parenting on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast with Giovanna Fletcher earlier this month, she said their eldest daughter didn’t sleep “for years”.
“She didn’t sleep for three and a half years, she just kept waking up. She’d wake up two or three times a night and then she’d go through the phase of being a toddler, so I’d hear her little feet coming down the hallway at night, knocking on the door.
“She had learned how to push a baby monitor so she could talk to us, she’d say, ‘Hi, I’m awake, can I have a bottle?!’ Like it was room service.”
Tess Daly and Vernon Kay with their two daughters Phoebe and Amber (Image: Tess Daly Instagram)
“It took about four and half years before she slept through the night. It was rough, I remember going to work sometimes, and I remember being so tired because I hadn’t sleep.”
Recalling a moment she had to head to the studio from her dressing room, she added: “Honestly, [I remember thinking] ‘I’ve got to physc myself up now to get off this sofa because I can’t physically stand up’. I don’t mean, ‘Woah me, poor me’, but it was sometimes really tough because being up all night and then having to go to work was hard.
“Being up three or four times a night, it was rough,” she added. “She’s a dream now, she sleeps beautifully!”
When Amber arrived, Tess said she enforced a “no tolerance” policy when it came to her sleeping. “I just knew I couldn’t go through that again,” she added.
Thankfully, the presenter had nothing to worry about as her youngest “from three months slept for 12 hours through the night like a little angel”.
Tess opened up about her experience with motherhood just days before announcing that she had quit Strictly Come Dancing after 21 years.
As part of her lengthy statement on Instagram, she wrote: “After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have announced their Strictly exit(Image: BBC)
“It’s hard to put into words what this show has meant to me, so here goes…
“Strictly has been more than just a television programme. It’s felt like having a third child, a second family, and a huge part of my life since that very first show back in 2004. I knew then it was something special, but I could never have imagined the magic it would bring.
“Strictly has always been about joy, celebration, and bringing people together — and I’m so proud to have played a small part in something that continues to mean so much to so many.”
She added of working with Claudia Winkleman, who has also quit: “To my beloved Claud — what an absolute joy and pleasure it has been sharing this adventure with you.
“You’re one of a kind, and l’ll treasure every giggle, every live show, and every backstage moment we’ve shared. I’m so grateful to have you as my friend for life.
“This isn’t a goodbye to glitter, sequins, or Saturday night sparkle (I could never say goodbye to those!).
“Strictly will forever hold a special place in my heart — but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins. With all my love and endless gratitude, Tess x.”
